The Transfer Tavern

Southampton: Hassenhuttl must call time on Nathan Redmond’s St. Mary’s career

Eight games stand between Southampton and Premier League survival this season.

A dreadful start to the 2018/19 campaign under former boss Mark Hughes saw the Saints consistently produce dismal displays of football which more often than not resulted in defeat.

By the start of December, Southampton’s poor form had seen them fall into the relegation zone which forced the club’s hierarchy to make the decision to bring an end to the Welshman’s brief spell at the club by replacing him with former RB Leipzig boss Ralph Hassenhuttl.

Since the Austrian’s arrival, the club’s fortunes on the pitch have improved significantly as they have picked up 21 points from 16 games bringing their total for the season up to 30. The likes of James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings have thrived under the guidance of Hassenhuttl yet his influence has not had the desired effect on others with one player in particular standing out from the rest.

Nathan Redmond was once tipped to be one of England’s brightest prospects whilst coming through the ranks at Birmingham City having burst onto the scene as a teenager in 2010. A move to Norwich City three years later saw him develop his talents further, helping the Canaries achieve promotion to Premier League via the play-offs.

Despite being unable to save his side from relegation in the following season, Redmond produced a number of impressive performances in his debut campaign in England’s top tier which attracted the interest of Southampton.

The south-coast based side agreed a deal with Norwich to sign the winger in 2016 and early signs were promising as he scored seven Premier League goals which contributed to an eighth-placed finish for the Saints.

However, in the past two seasons Redmond has failed to match these totals as his form has notably regressed. This can be illustrated by the fact that he only scored once in all competitions last season and has just three goals to his name in the Premier League during the 2018/19 campaign despite making 30 appearances for the Saints.

Although he is still an undeniably talented player, his inconsistencies in a Southampton shirt could see Hassenhuttl call time on his career at the club. Any decision surrounding Redmond’s future will ultimately come down to whether the former FC Inglostadt boss believes that he can finally add some much-needed end product to his game on a consistent basis.

Regardless on whether the Saints are playing in the Premier League or the Championship next season, the next nine games could prove definitive for Redmond’s career at the club.

What do you think Southampton fans? Do you think that you should sell Redmond in the summer? Who would you replace the England international with? Let us know below.